Stackable Storage Crate

ABSTRACT

A stackable storage crate ( 10 ) comprising side elements ( 13, 14, 15, 16 ) and a base element ( 12 ) wherein at least one of said side elements ( 13, 14, 15, 16 ) is provided with an openable panel ( 30 ) providing access to storage space within said crate ( 10 ).

The present invention relates to crates and, more particularly, tomodular storage crates which may be stacked to form a vertically andhorizontally aligned array, the contents of each crate accessible fromat least one side.

BACKGROUND

Storage crates, typically of a parallelepiped shape open at the top,form convenient storage and transport modules for loose items. Alsotypically, these storage crates are of unitary construction of injectionmoulded plastic.

Such crates are generally sufficiently sturdy to allow stacking of oneabove the other, but a disadvantage of having the crates in a stack isthat, if it is desired to access the contents of any crate lower thanthe uppermost, the stack must be at least partially dismantled andreassembled.

A further disadvantage of integrally formed crates is that transport andstorage prior to use is expensive due to the volume of space requiredfor each crate.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at leastameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided astackable storage crate comprising side elements and a base elementwherein at least one of said side elements is provided with an openablepanel providing access to storage space within said crate.

Preferably, said modular elements further include an upper perimeterframe.

Preferably, said side elements, said base element and said upperperimeter frame are modular components adapted for compaction as a flatpack while in a disassembled state prior to use.

Preferably, said side elements comprise first and second opposing pairsof side elements.

Preferably, said base element comprises a base panel and a baseperimeter frame.

Preferably, each of said side elements comprises a side elementperimeter frame and side panel; said perimeter frame comprising upperand lower horizontal members and opposing vertical corner members.

Preferably, at least one said side panel of said first pair of opposingside elements is an opening panel; said opening panel hingedly attachedto said side element perimeter frame.

Preferably, said opening panel is adapted for rotation about said hingebetween a vertical closed position and a substantially horizontal openposition.

Preferably, said base perimeter frame comprises a channel section openat an upper side of said channel section; said channel section adaptedto receive therein said lower horizontal members and lower ends of saidvertical corner members.

Preferably, said upper and lower horizontal members of said side elementperimeter frame of said first opposing pair side elements comprise an“I-beam” section substantially extending the length of each said sideelement.

Preferably, said upper and lower horizontal members of said sideperimeter frame of said second pair of opposing side elements areprovided with apertures adapted for engagement with projecting retainingelements of said base portion.

Preferably, said channel section of said base element is provided with aplurality of inwardly projecting retaining elements; said retainingelements adapted to engage with lower flanges of said “I-beam” sectionand said apertures of said lower members as snap-fits when said firstpair and said second pair of opposing side elements are assembled tosaid base element.

Preferably, said upper perimeter frame comprises an upper channelsection open at an underside of said channel; said channel adapted toreceive therein said upper horizontal members and upper ends of saidvertical corner members.

Preferably, said upper channel section is provided with a plurality ofinwardly projecting retaining elements; said retaining elements adaptedto engage with said “I-beam” section and said apertures of said upperhorizontal members when said upper perimeter frame is assembled to saidfirst pair of opposing side elements.

Preferably, said vertical corner members of each of said first opposingpair of side elements are adapted for nesting engagement withcorresponding said vertical corner members of said second pair ofopposing side elements.

Preferably, each of said vertical corner members of a first pair ofopposing side elements engages with a corresponding vertical cornermember of said second pair of opposing side elements by means of notchesand projecting lugs.

Preferably, said opening panel is provided with a forwardly projectingflange at an upper edge of said panel; said flange adapted forengagement within a lower outer edge of said upper channel section ofsaid upper perimeter frame when said opening panel is in said closedposition; said engagement retaining said opening panel in a lockedcondition.

Preferably, said upper perimeter frame is provided with cut-out portionsexposing portions of said forwardly projecting flange when said openingpanel is in said closed position; said cut-out portions adapted to allowa user to apply downward pressure on said forwardly projecting flange soas to deflect said flange sufficient to release said flange from saidengagement.

Preferably, said upper perimeter frame and said base perimeter frame areprovided with mating engaging elements; said engaging elements adaptedto prevent lateral movement between two said crates when one is stackedon another.

In a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a method forassembly of the modular storage crate of claim 1; said storage crateprovided with an openable panel in at least one side element of saidcrate; said method including the steps of:

-   -   (a) snap-fitting together into a nested assembly said vertical        corner members of said first and second pair of opposing side        elements,    -   (b) inserting said lower horizontal member of said first and        second pair of opposing side element into said channel section        of said base element.

Preferably, said method includes the further step of engaging an upperperimeter frame comprising a channel section with upper horizontalmembers of said perimeter frames of said first and second opposing pairsof side elements.

Preferably, said openable panel is hingedly attached to a perimeterframe of said at least one of one said pair of opposing side elements.

In yet a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a methodfor accessing interiors of a storage crates when a plurality of saidstorage crates are arranged in a vertical stack; said method includingthe steps of:

-   -   (a) providing an opening panel in at least one outward facing        side element of said storage crates.

Preferably, said storage crate is comprised of a base element, first andsecond opposing pairs of side elements and an upper perimeter frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stackable crate according to apreferred embodiment of the invention with an opening panel in a closedposition,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stackable crate of FIG. 1 with anopening panel in an open position,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of a first pair of opposing sideelements of the crate of FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view the side element of FIG. 3 when providedwith an opening panel,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of a second pair of opposing sideelements of the crate of FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 5A is a detailed view of a vertical corner member of an opposingside element of FIG. 5 showing a snap-fitting lug,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a base element of the crate of FIGS. 1and 2,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an upper perimeter frame of the crate ofFIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 8 is a sectioned elevation view of a portion of the crate of FIGS.1 and 2 showing the arrangement of the opening panel of FIG. 4,

FIG. 9 is a sectioned plan view of a corner portion of the crate ofFIGS. 1 and 2 showing engaged corner members of side elements of FIGS. 4and 5,

FIG. 10 is an un-sectioned plan view of the corner portion of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a stacked array of the crates of FIGS.1 and 2, showing one crate opened for access.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a stackable storage crate 10 comprisesa base element 12, first pair of opposing side elements 13 and 14,second pair of opposing side elements 15 and 16, and an upper perimeterframe 18.

Each of the side elements 13 to 16 comprises a perimeter frame made upof upper and lower horizontal members and arcuate vertical cornermembers. FIG. 3 shows one of the opposing pair of opposite side elements13 or 14. The perimeter frame for this configuration of side elementcomprises upper and lower horizontal frame members 21 and 22respectively and vertical corner members 23 and 24.

Each of vertical corner members 23 and 24 is provided with upper andlower corner extension portions 23A, 23B and 24A, 24B respectively.These extension portions are of similar arcuate form as that of thecentral portion of the corner members, but are inwardly offset. Verticalcorner members 24 and 25 are further provided with notches 27 arrangedfor snap-fitting to projecting lugs 57 of opposite side elements 15 and16 (see FIG. 5A), as will be explained below.

The dimensions of the arcuate corner members 23 and 24 of the first pairof opposing side elements 13 and 14 are smaller than the arcuate cornermembers 52 and 53 of the second pair of opposing side elements 15 and 16(shown in FIG. 5), such that adjoining corner members assemble togetheras a snap-fit, with projecting lugs 57 of vertical corner member 52engaged with notches 27 of vertical corner member 23 as may be seen inFIG. 9.

Again with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of upper and lowerhorizontal frame members 21 and 22 comprises an elongate “I-beam”section terminating at each end at vertical element 25 of corner members23 and 24 respectively. At least one of side elements 13 and 14 isprovided with cut-out portions 26. Upper horizontal frame member 21 isfurther provided with notched web elements 31 projecting outwardly atintervals from either side of the central web 19 of the “I-beam”section.

Referring now to FIG. 4, at least one of side element 13 and 14 isprovided with an opening panel 30, hingedly attached to lower horizontalframe member 22 by a flexible element 32 (as best seen in FIG. 8).

Opening panel 30 rotates about flexible element 32 from a verticalclosed position (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8) to a substantiallyhorizontal fully open position (as shown in FIG. 2). It will be seenfrom FIG. 8 that lower horizontal member 22 and flexible element 32 maybe so arranged relative to base element 12, that when opening panel 30is in the fully open position, its inner surface 34 (then horizontal) isflush with the upper surface 36 of base element 12.

Again with reference to FIGS. 4 and 8, opening panel 30 is provided withat least an outwardly projecting upper flange 38 and optionally withstrengthening side flanges 39. When panel 30 is in its closed position,upper flange 38 lies just below the lower flange 40 of the “I-beam”section of upper horizontal member 21. Thus portions of upper flange 38of opening panel 30 are accessible through cut-out portions 26. Thepurpose of these cut-out portions will be explained below.

The configuration of the second pair of opposing side elements 15 and 16is shown in FIG. 5. Each of side elements 15 and 16 comprises aperimeter frame made up of upper and lower horizontal members 50 and 51and arcuate vertical corner members 52 and 53. Vertical corner members52 and 53 are provided with extension portions 52A, 52B and 53A, 53Brespectively. These extension portions are of similar arcuate form asthe central portions of the corner members, but are inwardly offset. Aninfill panel 54 is affixed to the inner periphery of the perimeterframe.

The vertical flanges of both upper and lower horizontal members 50 and51 are provided with apertures 55 for snap-in engagement with retainingelements 67 provided in base element 12 and retaining elements 73 ofupper perimeter frame 18 respectively (as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7).Vertical corner members 52 and 53 are further provided with projectinglugs 57 (as seen in FIG. 5A) for snap-fitting engagement with thenotches 27 of vertical corner members 23 and 24 of side elements 13 and14.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, base portion 12 is comprised of a centralpanel 60 surrounded by a channel section 62 open at its upper side.Channel section 62 is dimensioned such that each of lower horizontalmembers 22 and 51 of the first and second opposing side elements 13 to16 may be inserted into the channel section 62 as a close sliding fit.As shown in FIG. 6 the front and rear portions 63 and 64 respectively ofthe channel section 62 are provided on the opposing inside surfaces withretaining elements 66 adapted to engage the lower flange 68 of the“I-beam” section of lower horizontal member 22. This retainingarrangement at the front portion 63 may be seen assembled in FIG. 8.Side channel sections 80 and 81 are provided with retaining elements 65for snap-fit engagement with the apertures 55 of upper horizontal framemembers of side elements 15 and 16 (see FIG. 5).

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, upper perimeter frame 18 (showninverted in FIG. 7) is formed of a channel section 70 of similar formand dimensions to the surrounding channel section 62 of base portion 12.The front and rear portions 71 and 72 of channel section 70 are alsoprovided with retaining elements 74 on opposing internal surfacesadapted to engage with the previously described webs 31 of side elements13 and 14. This retaining arrangement also is shown in FIG. 8. Sidechannel sections 77 and 78 are provided with retaining elements 73 forsnap-fitting engagements with apertures 55 in lower horizontal framemembers 51 of side elements 15 and 16 (see FIG. 5).

Front portion 71 is further provided with recesses 75 which, on assemblyof upper perimeter frame 18 with side elements 13 and 14 coincide withcut-out portions 26.

The channel sections 70 and 62 respectively of upper perimeter frame 18and base element 12, are provided with mating elements adapted tointerlock when the base of one crate is resting on the upper perimeterframe of another so as to prevent lateral movement between the twocrates. A preferred arrangement may be seen in FIG. 8 where the channelof the base element 12 is provided with a groove 90 and the channel ofthe perimeter frame 18 is provided with a ridge 92.

Prior to assembly, the elements comprising stackable storage crate 10may be bundled into a flat pack held together by suitable packagingmaterial. To assemble the elements into a storage crate, a user wouldproceed as follows:

-   -   (a) the vertical corner members of the first and second pair of        opposing side elements 13, 14, 15 and 16 are snap-fitted        together,    -   (b) the assembly of the four side elements are then inserted        into the channel sections of base element 12,    -   (c) the upper perimeter frame 18 is placed over the upper        horizontal members of each of the side elements 13 to 16 and        pressed downwardly until the retaining elements 74 engage the        notched webs 31 of the upper horizontal members 21, and        retaining elements 73 engage with apertures 55 of upper        horizontal members 50.

It will be seen from FIG. 8 that the vertical sides of the channelsection 70 of the upper perimeter frame 18, extend below the underside84 of upper horizontal member 21. This allows the outwardly projectingupper flange 38 of opening panel 30 to engage with the inside surface offront vertical side 85 of channel section 70, thereby maintainingopening panel 30 in its vertical closed position.

Recesses 75 provided in the front vertical side 85 of perimeter frame 18coincide, when assembled to side elements 13 and 14, with cut-outportions 26 of upper horizontal member 21 of side element 13 as bestseen in FIG. 10. This allows the fingers of a user to apply downwardpressure to flange 38 of opening panel 30 so as to deflect flange 38sufficient to lower its leading edge below the level of the lower edgeof vertical side 85, thereby allowing panel 30 to swing outwardly to itsopen position.

When assembled, the inner surfaces of the panels of all four sideelements 13, 14, 15 and 16 together with the upper surface of baseelement 12 intersect at their respective edges to form an unobstructedspace.

All elements of the stackable storage crate of the present invention maybe made by injection moulding of a suitable polymer, for examplepolypropylene. The fixed and openable panels are preferably clear withthe frame elements having a frosted finish.

In use, a number of the stackable storage crates may be stacked into acolumn and a number of columns placed side by side to form a row ofcolumns, as shown in FIG. 11. It will be clear that the arrangement ofopening panel 30 may be applied to both first opposing sides 13 and 14so that the contents of the storage crate 10 may be accessed from bothsides of a stack of crates such as shown in FIG. 11.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention andmodifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made theretowithout departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

1. A stackable storage receptacle comprising side elements and a baseelement wherein at least one of said side elements has an openable panelelement hinged at or below the upper surface of the base element suchthat the opening is substantially flush with the upper surface of saidbase element and the opening also being substantially flush with theinner surfaces of the side elements.
 2. The stackable storage receptacleof claim 1 wherein said openable panel element has an integrally mouldedhinge.
 3. The stackable storage receptacle of claim 1 wherein said sideelements are attached at their lower ends to said base element.
 4. Thestackable storage receptacle of claim 1 wherein said side elements areattached at their upper ends to an upper perimeter frame.
 5. The storagereceptacle of claim 1 wherein said side elements, said base elements andsaid upper perimeter frame are separate components adapted forcompaction as a flat-pack before assembly for use.
 6. The storagereceptacle of claim 1 wherein said openable panel element is adapted forrotation about said hinge between a vertical position and asubstantially horizontal open position.
 7. The stackable storagereceptacle of claim 1 wherein said openable panel element opens to astopped horizontal position substantially flush with the upper surfaceof the base element to extend base element area whilst openable panelelement is in the open position.
 8. The storage receptacle of claim 1wherein said base element includes an upward facing perimeter channelsized to receive said side elements.
 9. The storage receptacle of claim1 wherein said upper and lower horizontal members of a side elementperimeter frame of a first opposing pair of side elements comprise an“I-beam” section substantially extending the length of each said sideelement.
 10. The storage receptacle of claim 9 wherein said upper andlower horizontal members of said side perimeter frame of a second pairof opposing side elements are provided with apertures adapted forengagement with projecting retaining elements of said base portion. 11.The storage receptacle of claim 9 wherein said channel section of saidbase element is provided with a plurality of inwardly projectingretaining elements; said retaining elements adapted to engage with lowerflanges of said “I-beam” section and said apertures of said lowermembers as snap-fits when said first pair and said second pair ofopposing side elements are assembled to said base element.
 12. Thestorage receptacle of claim 4 wherein said upper perimeter framecomprises an upper channel section open at an underside of said channel;said channel adapted to receive therein said upper horizontal membersand upper ends of vertical corner members.
 13. The storage receptacle ofclaim 4 wherein said upper channel section is provided with a pluralityof inwardly projecting retaining elements; said retaining elementsadapted to engage with said “I-beam” section and said apertures of saidupper horizontal members when said upper perimeter frame is assembled tosaid first pair of opposing side elements.
 14. The storage receptacle ofclaim 12 wherein said vertical corner members of each of said firstopposing pair of side elements are adapted for nesting engagement withcorresponding said vertical corner members of said second pair ofopposing side elements.
 15. The storage receptacle of claim 14 whereineach of said vertical corner members of a first pair of opposing sideelements engages with a corresponding vertical corner member of saidsecond pair of opposing side elements by means of notches and projectinglugs.
 16. The storage receptacle of claim 4 wherein said opening panelis provided with a forwardly projecting flange at an upper edge of saidpanel; said flange adapted for engagement within a lower outer edge ofsaid upper channel section of said upper perimeter frame when saidopening panel is in said closed position; said engagement retaining saidopening panel in a locked condition.
 17. The storage receptacle of claim4 wherein said upper perimeter frame is provided with cut-out portionsexposing portions of said forwardly projecting flange when said openingpanel is in said closed position; said cut-out portions adapted to allowa user to apply downward pressure on said forwardly projecting flange soas to deflect said flange sufficient to release said flange from saidengagement.
 18. The storage receptacle of claim 4 wherein said upperperimeter frame and said base perimeter frame are provided withperipheral tongue and groove like mating engaging elements; saidengaging elements adapted to prevent lateral movement between two saidreceptacles when one is stacked on another.
 19. A method for assembly ofthe storage receptacle of claim 1, said receptacle provided with anopenable panel in at least one side element of said receptacle; saidmethod including the steps of: a) snap-fitting together into a nestedassembly said vertical corner members of said first and second pair ofopposing side elements, b) inserting said lower horizontal member ofsaid first and second pair of opposing side element into said channelsection of said base element.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein saidmethod includes the further step of engaging an upper perimeter framecomprising a channel section with upper horizontal members of saidperimeter frames of said first and second opposing pairs of sideelements.
 21. The method of claim 19 wherein said openable panel ishingedly attached to a perimeter frame of said at least one of one saidpair of opposing side elements.
 22. A method for accessing an interiorof a storage receptacle when a plurality of said storage receptacles arearranged in a vertical stack; said method including the steps of: (a)providing an opening panel in at least one outward facing side elementof said storage receptacles. (b) unlatching said opening panel from avertical closed position and pivotally rotating said opening panel downto a stop horizontal position to provide a shelf substantially flushwith the interior upper surface of the base of the storage receptacle.23. The method of claim 22 wherein said storage receptacle is comprisedof a base element, first and second opposing pairs of side elements andan upper perimeter frame.
 24. (canceled)
 25. (canceled)